Scott Alexander (host, Astral Codex Ten)

It doesn't have to be more than a few sentences.

If you Google emotional support animal letter, it auto-completes to template.

There are hundreds of them.

Here's a screenshot of an example.

Sample letter for companion animal.

Date.

Name of professional.

Therapist, physician, psychiatrist, rehabilitation counselor.

Address.

Dear housing authority slash landlord.

Name of tenant is my patient and has been under my care since date.

I am intimately familiar with his or her history and with the functional limitations imposed by his or her disability.

He or she meets the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Due to mental illness, first name has certain limitations regarding social interaction slash coping with stress slash anxiety etc.,

In order to help alleviate these difficulties and to enhance his or her ability to live independently and to fully use and enjoy the dwelling unit you own and or administer, I am prescribing an emotional support animal that will assist First Name in coping with his or her disability.

I am familiar with the voluminous professional literature concerning the therapeutic benefits of assistance animals for people with disabilities, such as that experienced by First Name.

Upon request, I will share citations to relevant studies and would be happy to answer other questions you may have concerning my recommendation that, full name of tenant, have an emotional support animal.

Should you have an additional question, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely, Signature, Namorf Professional

Scott writes, "...this option has basically no downsides and is the one that most psychiatrists end up taking.